Vote-buying scheme is no laughing matter | Jersey Journal editorial

Former New Jersey Gov. Brendan Byrne got more than a few chuckles from his often-repeated joke that when he died he wanted to be buried in Hudson County so he could stay active in politics.

But it was no laughing matter this week when a jury convicted a former Hoboken councilman of a federal crime in connection to a shameful vote-buying scheme.

Frank “Pupie’’ Raia, who is also a real estate developer and former member of the city school board, was convicted Tuesday of one count of conspiracy to violate the federal Travel Act for using the mail for voter bribery. The charge revolved around a scheme during Raia’s 2013 bid for a council seat in the non-partisan city election along with a public question on that same ballot related to rent control.

According to authorities, Raia’s “captains’’ in the scheme filled out applications for mail-in ballots for residents in low-income housing and paid them $50 for their votes.

It wasn’t clear how many votes officials believe were bought or attempted to be bought, but Raia lost the election and his position on the rent control question was voted down.